The Overlord's Harness
by bearsrawesome
Summary: Hal-centric. One night Matt wakes up feeling in danger. When Hal goes to check it out, Karen reveals herself and takes him to become the Overlords personal harnessed kid, much like she is. Will Tom, Ben and Maggie save him in time? Or will he become a slave like the rest of the harnessed kids?
1. Chapter 1

**MATTY POV**

Matthew Mason woke up suddenly, bolting upright in bed as he searched the room for any sign of danger. His heart was hammering in his chest and the uneasiness he felt made his stomach churn. The room was strangely cold on his sweaty skin and the darkness pressed in on him from every angle. Matty glanced to his brothers' beds, slowly rising from his own and walking over the polished floor, his bare feet padding softly as he stepped. Ben had his back to him, his blankets half hanging off his prone form, making the spikes on his back plainly visible on his exposed skin. Next to him, Hal slept comfortably, his chest rising and falling with each deep breath, the exhaustion clearly lined in his pale, handsome face. Matty hesitated, he didn't want to wake Hal up in case it was just a nightmare but his gut was so sure that something was wrong. He didn't know why he didn't want to go to Ben, maybe it was just because he wasn't the oldest, or a deep mistrust of him because of the Skitters and the harness. Either way, Matty crouched down beside Hal's bed, watching his eyeballs roll around underneath his closed eyelids, mumbling quietly in his dreams. Matty reached out to his brother's shoulder, rocking him slightly as he watched his brother frown. Hal's eyes fluttered open, his pupils wide and his eyes unfocused.

"Hal?" Matty whispered softly, shaking him again "Hal wake up! Something's not right."

Hal rubbed the sleep from his eyes, sitting up stiffly and swinging his legs from under the thin sheets. His clothes were rumpled, his hair stuck up messily at odd angles, strange from his normal meticulous style.

"Matty? What's up?" Hal's tone was tired and disorientated as he stared at his brother with concern.

It took Matty a moment to realise he was shaking like a leaf in a hurricane and he had hot tears spilling down his face "I don't feel safe, please can you check we're okay?"

Hal gave him a small smile, looking relieved "The sentries would have alerted us if we were under attack…but if it'll make you feel better, I'll go check, okay?"

Matty nodded desperately and Hal embraced him, the simple contact already making Matty feel calmer, and relaxing his harsh breathing. Hal obviously pleased by the reaction, gently navigated his little brother back to bed, tucking him in with a light kiss to the forehead.

Wiping a stray lock of hair away affectionately, Hal said "I'll be back soon, you just go back to sleep."

The young man wandered away, fluidly putting a coat over his shoulders as he walked out the door. Matty listened to the deafening silence for a minute then felt his eyes grow heavy as he fell back into a restless sleep.

**HAL POV**

Hal tried to wipe the bleariness from his eyes as he strolled through the empty corridors of the base. All he could think about was how tired he was, he had been working nonstop for days now and with only a few hours' sleep. The planning and debriefings had kept him up and thinking, he had barely eaten and the dizziness was starting to creep up on him. Hal turned left, searching the hallways; he could go back to sleep, but he felt a duty to his little brother that kept him moving. A few lonely people passed, giving him odd looks as to why he was voluntarily up without being on active duty till finally Hal pushed open the front doors and emerged into the crisp night air. The lookouts on the rooftops gave him a nod of acknowledgement then continued to stare out over the surrounding area. Smoky breath curled from his lips as he blew on his hands, and rubbed them together, scanning the woodland nearby. Matty was right, something was seriously wrong. It was too…calm. Hal's ears pricked as he thought he heard a muffled scream and his breath hitched as he tried to fathom what it was, and the source of the noise.

Suddenly movement to his left caught his eye and he spun round as a Skitter leapt at him, pinning him against the ground, claws digging into his shoulders. The lookouts were gone and a couple of Skitter's now took their place, bristling atop the roof. Hal cried out a struggled desperately, expecting the alien bearing down on him to end his life with a single, powerful swipe. The whole camp was now alert to the danger, shouts echoing outside and footsteps thundered on the ground. But the aliens weren't entering the buildings or attacking the civilians, nor was he finding any pain as he was torn to shreds. The Skitter heaved Hal to his feet, black eyes staring at him blankly and held him in place. Another person emerged from the shadows, her blond hair fluttering in the bitter wind.

"Hal." Karen deadpanned; her voice cold and emotionless as she approached.

The Skitter pushed Hal forward onto his knees, as if he was bowing before her like a slave to a master. Hal lifted his head and held her gaze firmly, trying to stop the fear showing in his face. The shouts were getting closer as Karen leaned down, her face inches from his.

"We've been looking for you."


	2. Chapter 2

_The shouts were getting closer as Karen leaned down, her face inches from his._

"_We've been looking for you."_

**TOM POV**

Tom was in the meeting room with Captain Dan Weaver when he heard someone cry out. With a quick glimpse between each other they were grabbing their weapons and tearing down the hallways flanked by a few other fighters. It took them only a couple of minutes to reach the front door and the team spilled out into the dark night.

Karen had her back to him, bent down over a figure, Skitters holding whoever it was in place. The outline of the harness evident on her back, glowing dimly and providing an almost target spot. The fighters fanned out, training their guns on them but they didn't fire, unsure whether to put the mysterious person in danger. Karen turned round on her heel, purposefully blocking the person behind her as she tilted her head, her expression blank.

Weaver stepped forward and cocked his gun threateningly "Karen! Freeze before I'm forced to shoot you!"

There was a flicker of something in her face; it was almost like a smirk of sick amusement. "Captain, you won't shoot us, and we'll walk out of here anyway. There is no need for violence."

The Skitters seemed to nod in agreement but retreated back to her, shielding their prisoner. Whoever it was, they were intent on keeping them, to the point of seemingly desperation.

Tom didn't falter "Karen, we don't want to kill you, but you have to release that person now and come with us! We can save you! We can remove the harness!"

Despite everything, neither Weaver nor Tom could find the heart to shoot the poor girl. She was a victim. She couldn't control her actions any more than they could and for that Tom was truly sorry. But whoever the figure was, they were important to them and nothing that could give them any kind of advantage could be spared. She chuckled lightly, surprising all of them with her unusual, blatant confidence.

"I am saved!" she cried almost cheerfully "And I will never go back to being human again…ever."

Suddenly there was shouting behind them and Matt came barrelling through the doors behind them, heading straight for Karen, followed closely by a very frightened looking Ben. Tom spun round and caught Matt- whose momentum almost knocked him over- and pulled him to a sharp halt.

"Matt what the hell are you doing?!"

Matt was pale and drawn, tears welling in his eyes as he fought his father distraughtly "Let me go!"

Ben also seized Matt and subdued him, trying to calm his little brother down as he held the small boy back. Weaver glanced at the family nervously as Ben spoke.

"He heard the shout and just took off…."Ben gasped, his voice panicked "I couldn't stop him!"

"Hal!" Matt screamed loudly, catching everyone off guard and knocking the breath out of Tom like a freight train "Hal!"

Karen gave a cruel smile and stepped aside, revealing a very breathless and nervous looking Hal. Everyone gasped including Weaver and Tom almost shoved Matt further into Ben's arms as he clutched his gun again and raised it menacingly.

"Let him go!" he spat, edging his way closer as Weaver moved to grab his shoulder "Let Hal go now or I swear to God I won't hesitate to kill you!"

Hal gave Tom a pleading look as the Skitter holding him held its savage claw to his throat, jerking the teens head back by his hair. Crying out, Matt began to struggle again behind Tom, tears trickling down his flushed cheeks. Weaver prickled and the men surrounding them looked to their leader for guidance, waiting for any kind of motion or signal. Tom gritted his teeth together as Karen stepped forward.

"Back off, or we'll kill your son." she stated simply, her face an emotionless mask once again.

Hal began thrashing urgently "No Dad she wants to ta-"

He was silenced by the swift hit of a Skitter and his head rolled dazedly against his chest. Tom flung himself forward in desperation but was yanked back by Weaver.

"No Tom! She's trying to get to you!"

"Dad…"Ben asked nervously, as he clasped his younger brother more firmly to his chest, examining his father closely as he desperately fought Weaver to reach his eldest son. Tom regained a sense of calm and leaned into Weaver's strong restraint.

"Karen…please let him go…"he gasped breathlessly, disappointed that he had shown his weakness so quickly.

Karen chuckled softly, dry and humourless "You humans are so pathetic, ruled by your feeble emotions. You have two other sons; losing one-even if he is your eldest-should not be counted as a significant loss." she paused for a second, evaluating Tom's reaction then continued more boldly "Think of this as a helpful lesson; a free tutorial in how to continue your pointless fight more effectively, then you might at least make this worthless battle more worthy of our time. You should be aware of these things Professor, your sons are your ultimate weakness; you cannot afford weaknesses in war."

Tom was too infuriated by her words to summon a meaning to them and he glared at her menacingly, his eyes drifting to his frightened sixteen year old son.

However much Hal had grown and matured since the beginning of this entire mess, he was still only a teenager; still a kid really, no matter what façade he managed to flaunt to everyone else. Heck, Hal had been studying for some of his most life-changing exams; the ones that would get him into college and shape the rest of his life. The day before the aliens had invaded Tom and Hal had had a massive argument about his revision and how he was preparing. Hal wanted to go to a weekend lacrosse match but Tom had been adamant that he stay in the house and cram every last piece of information he could into his brain. In the end Tom had taken it a step too far, comparing him to Ben and how hard he worked; but Hal had always been more physical, more sporty, and that fact alone had saved both Tom's and Hal's backsides. Tom hadn't had a clue that Hal had martial arts training, or archery lessons or any of the other cool things that Hal had managed to learn without his father's knowledge.

Rebecca had known though. They had always been the closest, they were so similar and Hal trusted her with everything about his life, his dreams. Tom had always been jealous of that, longing for the connection they shared. Though Ben had indeed been his father's son, enjoying his studies and enthralled by the knowledge just as Tom was when he was young. At least Tom had lived a calm, shielded life; free to a life of safety and stability, happy despite the day to day problems of raising three sons. Truthfully, every time he looked at Hal he remembered Rebecca-the day they met, first date, their wedding day, when she had become pregnant with Hal and all the events following that up to the day she died-and it sometimes broke his heart when he realised that his children will never be able to experience that kind of life, encounter that level of joy and care free attitude. They would always have to be constantly alert, always moving, always watching. Unless this war ended, which wasn't going to happen anytime soon; if it did at all.

Tom was thrust back into the present as Weaver interrupted "Why would you wanna help us? Get rid of our weaknesses? You lay a finger on the boy and you'll only fuel our fight!"

Karen stayed quiet, the proud smirk still on her dirty, pretty face. Something didn't feel right; it was like…she was stalling them. Tom felt his heart miss a beat as he swung round sluggishly, searching for any impending danger. Surprised Weaver followed his gaze as two Skitters descended from rooftop and all hell broke loose. Gunshots rang out and Tom was vaguely aware of Matt screaming as he fired along with all the other fighters and was distracted by the heat of battle.


	3. Chapter 3

**I really love Falling Skies, and I know it's needless to say that I so obviously do not own the series, though if they're looking for writers I'm your girl! Anyway Hal is by far my favourite character and I really love Hal harnessed fanfictions, reminding me to personally thank **_**purplepidgioncommandbase **_**for reviewing my story as I also really love your fanfictions especially 'Save One' which was the first fanfiction on Falling Skies I ever read. I know it sounds cliché but I'd like to dedicate this Chapter to you for being a little bit of my inspiration ;)**

**(I am not trying to be creepy… I'll just get back to writing the actual story…)**

_Gunshots rang out and Tom was vaguely aware of Matt screaming as he fired along with all the other fighters and was distracted by the heat of battle_

**BEN POV**

Ben stumbled backwards away from the fighting as soon as it began, half carrying Matt with him as he ran for cover. Fighters urged them onwards, yelling at them to get down and stay low but Ben already knew the drill. Ben was surprised he wasn't paralysed in fear; he should have been. He just felt so determined and frightened not to get harnessed again, never to lose himself like that. Not only was he unsure he could take it, but Dad, Hal and Matt too. They ducked behind one of the cars and Ben curled into himself, trying to escape the violence and pained cries. Matt was struggling again and he managed to break Ben's grip, surging upwards and looking over the car, though not leaving its protection. Swallowing his terror, Ben rose behind him, intending to stash him back down and completely out of sight.

"Hal!" Matt shrieked and Ben watched in horror as he saw Hal being dragged into the woods by his legs as he wriggled on his stomach, fingers clawing helplessly at the dirt as he was pulled away by a Skitter, Karen just ahead of them.

A deep panic welled inside Ben as he observed his older brother disappearing from sight and found himself already sprinting after him, leaving Matty in the dust as he tore across the tarmac, dodging the fighters and crashing through any foliage that blocked his path. His dad was shouting his name behind him but Ben ignored him, resolute that he would not let his brother face the fate that he had been forced to when the aliens had taken him. The strange Skitter language filled his head and he understood every word, knew where they were going as if by instinct.

He caught up to them just as they were about to lug Hal up the ramp and into a giant, glowing mother-ship. The sight of it looming before him was intimidating to say the least and Ben faltered for a second, almost tripping and tumbling in his effort to stop. Hal spotted him in the mist his frantic struggling and he cried out as Karen turned to face Ben blankly, her expression never wavering. Her voice was so clear through the spikes ordering him to back down, to obey. But Ben ignores her, surging forward to assist his beloved brother as he's more hurriedly forced into the confines of the alien ship. A mech. suddenly appears from the trees beyond and Ben was forced to fling himself painfully to the ground as it opened fire just over his head. Its footsteps made the ground rumble and Ben poked his head up just long enough to see the door to the ship slowly closing and Hal reaching out towards him as he was towed inside, his eyes wide and panicked both in fear for his own life and his little brothers.

Then he was gone. Blocked off by the closing door as the mech. continued to approach Ben at an alarming speed but Ben couldn't move. He was frozen with shock, paralysed by his crushing defeat to save his brother from the horrible aliens that had stolen his life and family once before. Now, even though he was free, he had lost to them again, another massive part of his life stolen from him. Ben thumped the ground angrily, screaming a chilling, heart-wrenching scream of frustration and sadness as the engines of the spaceship powered up and they lifted into the sky with rushing air and flashing lights. The mech. was now only a few feet away, its laser targeting device trained on Ben's forehead but he didn't react, still absorbed in his own devastation, wanting to just curl up into a ball and cry his eyes out like a five year old.

No matter how many times they argued and fought, Ben loved his older brother with all his heart. Not only because he could always depend on him, no matter the situation, and that Hal could pretty much forgive any mistakes Ben made and accepted him for who he was. But because he did remind him so much of his mother, whom he missed so dearly; her kindness and warmth mirrored in his eyes ,her compassion hidden in the way he spoke, and her determination concealed in the way he held himself and fought for the 2nd Mass with all his heart and soul, no matter the danger.

Suddenly an eruption of movement from the woods nearby caught Ben's attention and interrupted the whirring of the mech.'s gun as they prepared to fire. Tom exploded from the line of trees flanked by a troop of beaten and bloody fighters and immediately fired on the mech. his stride never breaking as the mech. was hit by the specialised bullets. Finally the mech. fell and Tom was running towards Ben, helping him up and wrapping him passionate embrace, clinging to him as if he was his only grounding.

"Dad! They took him…I…I couldn't stop them…they took Hal…I'm so sorry…" Ben didn't bother trying to hide his distress as he sobbed into his father's chest, burying himself in his grasp.

"Shhhh,"Tom whispered into his son's hair, his hand placed firmly behind his head, fingers lacing through his strangely silky hair "It's ok Ben, we'll get him back. Whatever it takes, I promise. They will not keep him."


	4. Chapter 4

"_Shhhh,"Tom whispered into his son's hair, his hand placed firmly behind his head, fingers lacing through his strangely silky hair "It's ok Ben, we'll get him back. Whatever it takes, I promise. They will not keep him_."

**HAL POV**

When Hal awoke he was confused and disorientated, struggling to pull together his thought and emotions. His brain tried to fathom how he was floating above the floor, a pressure on his chest and torso and not his face. The realisation was like getting hit by a Skitter-he was on one of those table bed things in a Harnessing chamber; like the one they had saved Matt and Jean Weaver from a while back. That was when Hal had first seen Ben's spikes glow and he felt shivers at the memory. Hal tried to force himself up but he was restrained tightly and all he could do was thrash around and scream curses at the walls. The feelings of loneliness and hopelessness were the strongest- feeling like weights that crushed down on him. The darkness was so solid, Hal felt like he was trapped in a tiny box and the claustrophobic feeling left him gasping for breath as he again tried to free himself. Hal had never been scared of the dark, but every noise was deafening and made Hal flinch, tossing his head from side to side in search of any impending danger, and the sound of his thumping heart filling his ears. However there was never anything there, just the silence and the darkness.

Hal searched his memory, trying to construct an image of what had happened whilst he tried to bury his terror. He had to gain a sense on what was happening.

_He was in bed, sleeping soundly…then someone had woken him…Matt? Yes, Matt. He said something wasn't right….I offered to investigate…got outside…jumped by Skitters, quite literally. Karen was there…she said she was looking for me…Dad turned up…then Matt…and Ben? Dad was threatening Karen…Matt was screaming his name…then there was shooting and he was dragged into the trees. Yeah the woods! His fingers still stung from where he had tried to dig into the dirt….Ben…Ben had chased him till they reached the ship. A mech. had attacked and Ben…oh God-Ben was on the ground…then the doors had shut…Karen had whispered something…then he felt a prickling feeling…and then nothing…just that blackness all over again…_

Hal shook himself awake, breathing heavily as his thoughts spilled to his brother. Where was Ben? The mech had been right on top of him...could he be dead? Hal physically winced at the idea, even the mentioning of the 'd-word' in the same sentence as one of his family members sent agonising pangs through his heart. The worry built on Hal's rising terror and the knots in his stiff, tense muscles and Hal literally had to compel himself to breathe deeply and relax a little.

Suddenly the room was flooded with light and even though Hal's head was down, spots danced in his eyes as he squinted and tried to blink away the pain.

"Glad to see you're awake, Hal. Now you'll get to fully experience the wonder of the joining." Karen's quiet, sweet voice echoed around the room. Although Hal couldn't see her, he could feel her presence beside him, but also the sensation of another, two others, two Overlords.

Hal writhed furiously as her smooth skin brushed against his back, lifting his shirt. Somehow his jacket had been removed whilst he was unconscious. Karen seemed to sigh, sounding almost exasperated as she pressed down on him a little harder so that he stopped fighting.

"You don't realise how incredibly special you are Hal. The Head of the Overlord's had chosen you because of your prowess. You're the right age, perfect build, strong, determined, intelligent, and skilled-you're the ideal candidate in every aspect of your being despite being just a human. You should be honoured."

"Lucky me…"Hal snarled but his anger dispelled when he heard a Skitter approaching and the sound of a living harness in its arms "Please Karen, don't do this!"

Karen now hovered over him and Hal felt her lower the harness onto his back. This one seemed different to the others; smaller, lighter but in a way much more dangerous, more powerful.

"Don't worry Hal, it'll all be over soon. No more pain, no more emotion, you'll feel clarity and understanding. I was scared when I was chosen too, but it soon passes; a waste of energy to fight, just relax and accept the Overlord's mind into yours."

The harness crawled further up Hal's neck but he was frozen, unable to shake the creature of as it established itself at the base of his neck and he could feel it merging with his skin, fusing to his spine. Memories and thoughts and words danced around Hal's mind as the harness sunk deeper into his skin, almost disappearing completely beneath it.

"You'll be more powerful than the Skitters, Hal. More important than an entire army of mechs. They'll die to keep you, Hal. Human royalty, ordering all those below you for your King. No one we'll be able to stop us. And best of all…"

Karen leant down and Hal could feel her hot breath tickle his ear as his vision swam and he began to fade into a spinning, crazy abyss.

"We'll do it together."


	5. Chapter 5

Matt pressed his face into his sodden pillow which was wet with his salty tears. His sobs were quiet now, though his body still wracked with furious shivers as he tried to calm his breathing and settle into the softness of the mattress. Beside him his father slumped in a hard, plastic chair, awake but lost in his own thoughts of his eldest son. Matty rolled over to face his Dad, the sheets rustling as he moved. Startled by the sound, Tom looked up and gave Matty a weak smile, wiping a glistening tear off the young boy's soft, pale cheek; before falling retreating back into his own mind, staring blankly into the distance. Matt wriggled and lowered his eyes, counting the tiles on the floor in an effort to distract himself from the sadness.

"Whenever I had nightmares or was upset, Hal-no matter what time it was, or how tired he felt-would let me climb into his bed and sing to me." he whispered quietly, more to himself than his father.

Tom glanced down at his youngest son again, just registering his words as Matt's memories became clearer and he felt a small smile escape his lips.

"He was really good. Mom always said he had the voice of an angel and he could sing whatever he liked and it would always sound amazing. Sometimes Hal used to share his own songs with me. Only me though…it was like our little secret."

Tom nodded slowly, stroking Matt's forehead affectionately with his warm, smooth thumb and listening intently as Matty continued.

"He was always scribbling in that notebook…you know the one he carried everywhere? Still has it I think, somewhere, hidden in his stuff. He was always writing songs, then spending hours at school practising the on his guitar. Hal's music teachers were so impressed they offered to teach him how to play other instruments for free…I remember when Hal told me that night…he was so happy, and that made me happy. We stayed up half that night just chatting about it. Mum caught us in the end though, and so Hal told her and she was so proud of him she didn't even punish us."

Tom smiled, imagining his late wife's reaction, then frowned, his eyebrows knotting together.

"Why didn't he tell me?"

Matt sat up in bed, resting his head on his father's shoulder as Tom wrapped his arms around the shivering nine year old.

"He was determined to make it a special surprise. There was a concert we were going to go to before the…invasion." Matty drew a tight, nervous breath "Hal was planning to play then, on stage, in front of everyone."

Matt hesitated, fresh tears spilling down his raw cheeks and he turned, gripping his father's jacket tightly in his fists as he sobbed into his chest.

"I miss then. I want to go back to when Mom was alive, and Hal and Ben were always bickering and we used to play football in the garden."

Tom kissed the top of his Matt's forehead but remained silence; allowing Matt to vent his emotion, sensing that there was nothing even he could say to console Matt. When Matt could cry no more he slipped quickly back into bed, pulling the sheets up close around him.

"Hal doesn't sing to me so often now. He's always on patrol or helping Captain Weaver."

Tom ducked his head, fiddling with the zip of his jacket somewhat guiltily as Matt adjusted his pillow.

"Dad?"

Tom turned to face the boy, staring into his deep blue eyes.

"You won't leave me will you? Not again?"

Tom grabbed Matt's small hands, intertwining their fingers and leaned closer, so that their faces were inches apart and Matt could feel his father's hot breath on his face.

"I will never-ever- leave you boys again, you hear me? Not Ben or you or Hal. We'll bring him back Matty, just like we did Ben.

Matt nodded slowly, a wry smile spreading across his lips. Tom released his hands and settled back into the hard chair with a sigh.

"And Dad?"

"Yes Matty?"

"Will you sing to me?"

"Sure thing, son."

His father found a comfortable position-well as comfortable as he could be-and closed his eyes, softly humming a forgotten lullaby from a lost soldier in a past war. Matt couldn't understand any of the mumbled words but the sweet, calming melody was enough and soon his eyelids grew heavy and he fell into a satisfying, exhausted sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you for the masses of support from everyone, I really appreciate it. I probably won't be able to post for a week, I have tons of exams next week but I will start again as soon as possible, so try to be patient xxx I'll do my best to at least get maybe one chapter on this story up but I can't make promises. Keep reviewing, I love reading all of them.**

_Matt couldn't understand any of the mumbled words but the sweet, calming melody was enough and soon his eyelids grew heavy and he fell into a satisfying, exhausted sleep._

**BEN POV**

Ben was in a room.

It was dark and he could barely make out the outlines of objects. His head was filled with an intense throbbing and the spikes on his back felt hot and itchy, though not painfully so. The language of the Skitters echoed around him but he couldn't find any sense in it, no matter how hard they listened. There was something else though, like grunting and laboured breathing amongst the cool, quiet darkness.

All of a sudden the lights flashed in around him and Ben was temporarily blinded. Rubbing his eyes quickly, he pried them cautiously open, his heart leaping as he came face to face with Karen. Ben cried out in surprise and put his hands out to defend himself; however the action proved unnecessary as she passed straight through him like a ghost. Two Overlords flanked her, a Skitter behind them carrying a strange bug like creature. It took Ben to realise it was a harness; but one like he'd never seen before, smaller and pulsating with energy.

"_Glad to see you're awake, Hal. Now you'll get to fully experience the wonder of the joining."_

Karen's voice seemed distant, a little disembodied and it took a few seconds for Ben to register what she was saying.

"Wait Hal?" Ben cried out, his voice going unnoticed as the conversation continued.

Karen moved beside a harnessing bed to reveal Hal, restrained on his stomach. Ben ran forward, stopping on the opposite side of Karen and tried to undo the restraints on his wrists. Karen's hand glided down Hal's back and he lashed around, struggling in futile to get free. The restraints were just as non-existent as Karen had been and Ben's fingers phased straight through like they were made of air. Ben almost sobbed in despair as Karen pressed down on Hal again, harder this time, so he stopped fighting.

"_You don't realise how incredibly special you are Hal. The Head of the Overlord's had chosen you because of your prowess. You're the right age, perfect build, strong, determined, intelligent, and skilled-you're the ideal candidate in every aspect of your being despite being just a human. You should be honoured."_

Karen's face was calm as she spoke and Ben found that his screams were trapped in his throat. He made a strangled whimper but the strange noise continued to be unheard by those around him.

"_Lucky me…" _Hal's snarl was barely audible, the exhaustion and terror evident in his voice making it sound weak and pathetic ""Please Karen, don't do this!"

Ben reached for Hal's shoulder when he begged, trying to offer some kind of ghostly comfort but again Ben's hand just slipped through like he wasn't real. But that was it, he wasn't real.

This must be a dream.

Karen took the harness from the Skitter and dropped it gently onto Hal's back and Ben almost reached out to stop it before recognising it was a useless exercise and stepping back in defeat, drowning in the sense of hopelessness that had overcome him.

"_Don't worry Hal, it'll all be over soon. No more pain, no more emotion, you'll feel clarity and understanding. I was scared when I was chosen too, but it soon passes; a waste of energy to fight, just relax and accept the Overlord's mind into yours."_

Ben watched in horror as the harness climbed up his brother's tense back and fixed itself into his neck, sinking down below the skin so that it almost disappeared completely, only living slight bumps across his exposed skin.

"_You'll be more powerful than the Skitters, Hal. More important than an entire army of mechs. They'll die to keep you, Hal. Human royalty, ordering all those below you for your King. No one we'll be able to stop us. And best of all…"_

There was a sickening, gut wrenching pain in Ben's gut as Karen leaned close to Hal's face, her lips almost brushing against his ear and he saw Hal shift slightly.

"_We'll do it together."_

Ben's heart froze in his chest and tears welled in his eyes as he finally found his voice again. The edges of his vision blurred and tinged a deep crimson colour and the pounding in his head intensified.

"Hal!" Ben screamed as he sat bolt upright in bed, reaching into empty space as the sheets slipped off the bed.

His father rushed to his side bending down to his level as tears tumbled down Ben's cheeks and he clutched his father desperately, sobbing uncontrollably into his chest like he was a little kid again. Tom's shirt was already moist with Matty's tears and now Matty had climbed onto Ben's bed, wrapping his arms around his shoulders and the whole family cried together. All the while Ben telling himself…

It was just a dream.

It was just a dream.


	7. Chapter 7

_All the while Ben telling himself…_

_It was just a dream._

_It was just a dream._

**TOM POV**

Tom had been up all night and his eyes were heavy and stung with drying tears. After sitting with Ben most of the night, trying to comfort the emotionally traumatised boy about a nightmare he refused to share; Tom felt like his nerves were wrecked as he tried to bring some warmth into his exhausted body. He felt like he had aged a decade in just one night and could practically sense the grey hairs that had sprouted from his scalp. Anne sat beside him on the bed, rubbing small circles on his back reassuringly as Tom tried to calm himself. The explanation of events had shocked and horrified her as well and now Anne seemed on the verge of tears too; but she had sucked in a terse breath and kept all the calm and collectiveness she had been trained with.

"It'll be okay Tom. You saved Ben, even after all those months and Hal's only been missing a few hours. We'll find him…together." she whispered, tenderly pushing her lips against his.

She smelled sweet and aromatic-she was always so adamant about staying clean, especially being the 2nd Mass's only fully trained doctor-and Tom let himself relax into it, placing his forehead against hers as they separated. He sighed and brushed his hand through her long, ebony hair, twirling it beneath his fingers.

"But Ben's never been the same since…and it took months to find him and he was only taken by Skitters; Karen and the Overlords took Hal, he could be anywhere in America right now." Tom choked, biting his lip anxiously as he confessed his deepest fear.

"No!" Anne interrupted rather fiercely "You would know if your baby had been taken that far away, Tom. It's the thing with parenthood…bit of an instinctive built in radar; it's how you knew Ben was still alive. Ask Ben and Matt, they'll tell you the same thing; he's here Tom, don't give up hope."

Tom lowered his eyes to the floor and nodded slowly, leaning into Anne's cup hand as they sat in complete silence for a minute; digesting the conversation and enjoying each other's company.

"You know Weaver and the others were really hit hard by Hal's…disappearance." Tom chuckled, twiddling his thumbs absentmindedly.

"Really?"

"Yeah, he did a lot of stuff for everyone, really stepped up when I was captured. I didn't really appreciate just how much he'd grown up till now."

Anne smiled, her eyes twinkling even in the dim light. "Yeah, Hal was always amazing like that; always full of surprises…sorry that sounded so cliché." she laughed quietly and Tom stared into her eyes, leaning forward and kissing her softly.

"Not at all, it was sweet…thank you Anne, for everything."

Before Anne could reply the door burst open and Anthony stumbled timidly into the room, his breathing laboured like he had been running.

"Weaver wants everyone in the hall; they have to decide about Hal."

Glancing nervously at each other, Tom seized Anne's warm hand and they sprinted down the hallway as Anthony continued to wake everyone and lead them to the hall. They could already hear the hustle and bustle of tired people as they drove through the double doors into the large room filled with civilians and fighters alike. Weaver stood on an elevated platform in the centre of the chaos, waiting for everyone to enter before he began. Noticing Tom and Anne's entry, the Captain flashed them an apologetic smile and nodded off to the left where Ben and Matt were stood beside one another, barely talking. Tom and Anne joined them, still holding hands as the approached smiling.

"Hi Dr Glass, what's happening, Dad?"

Tom bent down, lifting his youngest son into his arms and slipping him onto his back in a piggy back so that he hovered about everyone else's heads and had a clear view all around. Anne and Ben chuckled, Anne placing a kind arm around Ben's shoulders and giving him a soothing squeeze.

"Weaver needs to ask the entire group something very important." Tom replied, patting his son's knee caringly.

"Is it about Hal?" Matty murmured uncertainly, drumming his slender fingers lightly on his father's head in a strangely comforting manor.

Tom glanced uncertainly to Anne, unsure of how to reply when suddenly the doors swung shut one more and Weaver cleared his throat. Instantly all eyes were on him as everyone keenly waited for their leaders wise words; these kind of emergency meetings were almost unheard of and everyone knew about the attack only a few hours past.

"As you all know, the 2nd Mass was attacked by the aliens last night. We suffered two casualties-two excellent fighters-and the aliens captured one of our scouts. All of you know Hal Mason and he is an important member of our group…" Weaver's words trailed off to allow everyone to absorb what he was saying.

Tom heard someone mutter "Prince." somewhere behind him, followed by a number of quiet sniggers and he turn to glare darkly at Pope; the man instantaneously realising the dangerous look in his eyes. His band of renegades promptly followed his lead, ducking their heads to avoid the petrifying gaze.

Weaver throwing over his own warning stare continued "…this is why I called the meeting tonight. We need to decide whether we stay and search for him, or we keep heading to Charleston. It's a hard decision, and I know there will be mixed opinions over this but I have to exercise the fact that we don't have the man power or resources to separate the group, meaning it's one or the other."

Weaver looked over toward Tom apologetically as the blood literally drained from his face and he felt nauseous once again. Ben and Anne stood closer to him in a gesture of support as quiet chatter broke out amongst the audience; all arguing and discussing the fate of Hal Mason. The teenage scout had a lot going for him though; on more than one occasion he had gone out of his way to help everyone in the community for even the smallest thing, risked life and limb for them, was a great friend to everyone. He had done a lot. But was it enough?

Pope stepped forward cockily, flashing a quick smirk at Tom's family before addressing everyone. His cronies clapped their hands to draw the attention of the crowd as Pope swaggered up onto the stage with Weaver. He was obviously the opposition.

"Needs of the many over the needs of the many surely? Why should we risk everything for the kid?"

Anne gripped Tom's arm and he knew instantly that she was encouraging him to step forward as the hubbub replied in earnest to Pope's outburst. Gritting his teeth, Tom climbed on stage and faced Pope angrily.

"Because he'd do the same for anyone of the 2nd Mass. Hal's sacrificed a lot for the resistance and he has never once complained; we owe it to him."

Again the crowd whispered earnestly in response and the level of tension rose.

Pope gestured wildly "You say that because he's your son. You wouldn't go out of your way to help any of us like that; it's just because he's the eldest 'Prince' in your delusional family."

The fury flared inside Tom like a volcanic eruption but Tom calmed it, like an ocean wave rolling over the fire.

"I would and have countless times and my 'delusional' family don't think of ourselves as royalty, you do. Hal would never accept that kind of reaction from anyone, to him everyone is equal, even you" Tom spat back, subtly adding the bitterness in his voice.

Raising his hands in what looked like surrender Pope spoke again "Don't get me wrong, I like the kid, he is definitely my favourite but I have to draw the line somewhere. By now he's probably been harnessed and processed into a little Cootie's monkey, collecting scrap in some back alley and I don't know about you but I wouldn't want to Razorback's for sons."

Pope paused for a second and revelled in the complete silence that greeted him as he watched Tom twitch speechlessly.

"In fact, I bet you sold him out with your old Overlord buddies so you can't have yet another alien spy in the middle of our party; I mean you already have yourself and Ben over there, why not let dear Hal join in the family business?"

Tom realised he was holding his breath and his nails were digging into his palms, blood dripping through his fingers as Ben stiffened in shock and Anne leapt up in protest.

"Ben and Tom are not traitors! Tom isn't an alien spy and he would never _ever _give Hal to the aliens!"

She ran forward as if to stop him but was restrained by Lourdes and Anthony, passionate tears streaming down her cheeks. Tom glanced back sorrowfully but tried to convey his gratitude for her defence with a weak smile. She fell quiet and rested against Lourdes as the young girl gushed thoughtfully into her ear in an attempt to console her.

"Look," Tom said bitterly, his voice flooded with pain and emotion "I don't care what you think about Ben and I and I know no matter what I say you'll just object to it…but it's not up to you."

Tom turned to face the crowd, dropping to his knees in an act of complete humility, his eyes filled with tears. The rest of the 2nd Mass just stared at him in surprise, shocked that their second in command was kneeling to them like a servant to a King.

"Hal is completely innocent of any crime. He has poured his heart and soul into the 2nd Mass from day one and paid for it dearly sometimes, but he always gets up and keeps going; protecting those around him, always saving us. But now it's our turn to save him. I ask-no I beg-you to please help me rescue my son, whatever the outcome because I will not stand by and let him suffer at the hands of the Overlords. I can't do it alone. Who will help me?" Tom pleaded, meeting the eyes of everyone in turn to convey the honesty and sincerity in his words.

The whole room was completely silent, no one even moved. Everyone was wrapped up in their own disbelief on the situation and pure terror in Tom's voice that the reticence feels too delicate to break. Finally a familiar voice slashed through the devastating quiet.

"I'm in."

The crowd parted and a very tearful yet determined Maggie strutted forward, her eyes gleaming. It was common knowledge that Hal and Maggie were in a relationship and Tom hadn't really gotten the chance to sit and talk with her and his explanation of events had been rather blunt due to emotional trauma and exhaustion. But there she stood looking like a fallen angel and Tom truly understood why Hal liked her so much, even if it couldn't be summarised in words. He approved of her.

Anthony and Dai both stepped forward too, their actions needed no words and soon there was an eruption of cries-the loudest being those of Matt and Ben as they rallied those surrounding them-and when Tom had the energy to look at Pope, he seemed smaller; daunted by the sheer mass of affection toward Hal Mason. With a dull shrug, he conceded and jumped from the stand, disappearing into the shadows as Weaver announced to a strangely happy crowd that it was settled. The 2nd Mass would hold out here until they were forced to move on or they found Hal.

Weaver called out orders for search parties and scouting missions before ushering everyone off to rest and recuperate for the busy days ahead. Tom felt a few claps on the back as Anthony, Dai and some of the others filtered away and Ben convinced Matty to return to their room, till eventually just Tom and Anne remained in the large hall.

Anne rushed forwards, flinging herself into his arms and kissing him hard on the lips. Tom pulled her closer, feeling the tingling feeling whenever he was close to her race up his spine.

"Well done, Tom. That was amazing. Hal would be proud." she chuckled softly, cupping his face in her soft hands.

Tom reached up; intertwining his fingers with hers "We're not out of the woods yet. We have a long journey ahead; are you sure you're up for it?"

She smiled and leaned in closer to his ear, her whisper like a summer breeze "Always."


	8. Chapter 8

**I am so so so so so sorryr! I got distracted by the overpowering popularity of my other story but I'm back for another chapter. I adore all your reviews and to be honest I actually enjoy writing this fic more than the other because I can do whatever I like because of its fantasy style setting. Keep reviewing and I will do my best to post more…please forgive me *gets on knees* I will do my best not to disappoint you again! I am you loyal servant! I blame exams and tedious revision. Morgan xxx**

**PS This is set a three months after Hal's abduction and the group have been moving gradually to Charleston and only to escape the aliens detection-unless it's not clear.**

_She smiled and leaned in closer to his ear, her whisper like a summer breeze "Always."_

**HAL POV**

Hal stood atop the roof of a large factory complex, overseeing the constant work down below. The harnessed children were working well, despite their obvious lack of passion or enthusiasm, but humans did not deserve that privilege. Hal was special; an exemption to the rule of normal mindless slaves. The Skitters would occasionally look to him, checking whether he was pleased and Hal could practically smell the fear radiating off them. Even the mechs bowed before him whenever he passed and the feeling of absolute power was an indescribable cascade of emotion. Hal chuckled softly to himself, a cruel smile spreading across his face.

"_Are the preparations almost complete, my son?"_

The Overlord's voice was so clear to him, despite the distance between them and Hal marvelled at the intimate power of their connection. Once again Hal scanned over the proceedings below, listening to the quiet, informative chatter of the Skitters and evaluating the progress of the workers.

"_Almost, my lord. I suspect it will take only two more days but I will summon another group of children to try and shorten the time."_

"_Any conflict from the resistance and Tom Mason?"_

Hal glowered and almost scolded himself as a wave of unidentifiable emotion suddenly ploughed into him; raging with one another in a deep savage battle but once again the harness won and Hal swallowed the other useless, weakening sensations.

"Not so far but I have extra mechs on patrol in case, there was a supposed sighting of them in Sector 6 but there were no signs anyone had been in the area."

There was a pause and Hal titled his head questioningly as he waited for his master to answer but did not press him. That was not his place. Finally he could once again feel the stronger, powerful presence in his mind.

"_Very well, but their lack of movement is concerning the other Overlords, we must find their base and destroy them before they can interfere with our plans; I am trusting you with this my son, do not disappoint me. I'll be in communication in two days and I expect results."_

"Of course, master. When in the last few months have I given you reason to doubt me? The 2nd Massachusetts will be gone by tomorrow; I still have yet to prove my undying gratitude to the Overlords for such a prestigious honour to be bestowed upon such a lowly human."

Hal could feel a somewhat amused emotion spike off the alien and it filled him with a strange sense of pride as he stepped up onto the brick wall and leant on his bent knee, his chin on his hand. The ebony cloak fluttered gently beside him like an elongating shadow and he took a deep breath of the open air, a hidden dwelling memory welling inside him but he submerged it when the gut wrenching pain flooded his body, sourced from the harness deep in his back.

"_Indeed."_

The loneliness that flooded Hal made him incredibly uneasy and for a second his calm façade faltered but his eyes darkened as the patrol of mechs returned with a couple of new dirty, children to recruit. They were obviously stunned and unconscious but Hal felt a tug in his heart saying he needed to help them but quickly swallowed it and focussed as he leapt from the roof of the six floor building and landed on the ground with a crouch; the tarmac cracking under the force of the impact. Hal stretched out, unscathed and briskly paraded toward the arriving patrol; ordering a couple of Skitters to take the children to the harnessing chamber nearby before summoning the mechs to follow his lead; heading for the northern quadrant and toward the last few human sightings.

It was not long before Hal raised his hand, stopping the group in the centre of a large empty street. The mechs obliged silently, stopping the instant he lifted his hand in the wordless gesture and prepared. Hal could sense the two humans-though he could not pinpoint them- their ragged, nervous breathing was clear in the quiet air and Hal closed his eyes, centring his mind so he could hear the fast thumping of two heartbeats.

Licking his lips playfully, Hal tiptoed toward the source of the sound, an impish finger to his lips as he crouched low beside a car and leaned down so he could see the two pairs of shoes on the opposite side. With a wicked laugh he leapt onto the roof of the car and rose to his full height. Two frightened faces turned to face him, staggering back as the struggled to grip their guns in shock.

"Dai, Anthony, what a surprise!" Hal chuckled mirthlessly, hopping onto the ground in a carefree manor as they trained their guns on him "It has been such a long time. How is dear Dad and my two adorable little brothers?"

"H-Hal…"Anthony gasped, almost choking on the words as if they were suffocating him.

Hal smiled and opened his arms "The one and only. So, where are my family right now, I'm sure they'd absolutely love it if I visited."

The mechs were now approaching with Hal's silent, mental message, aiming to kill the two in a few painfully long moments. Their guns whirred with life and Anthony and Dai both visibly flinched.

"We'll never tell you!" Dai shouted indignantly, though he lowered his gun in submission to the far greater firepower. Anthony glanced at him with a petrified look and Hal sniggered as he followed suit.

"Well then, I guess we have to kill you."

The two froze in terror as the mechs lit up and their strange sounds echoed around. Anthony shut his eyes, his lips moving in silent prayer but Dai held Hal's gaze fiercely.

As the weapons were about to offload, Hal stepped forward again, his smile showing his bright shining teeth.

"Wait-"he watched their reaction with amusement before continuing "Tell you what. We make a deal; you send a message to my father and Captain Weaver to get their asses here, tomorrow twelve pm sharp and we see if we can't negotiate a bit, eh? Some harnessed kids for I don't know-whatever I feel I want-or something like that? That way you both get to live and I get a loving reunion with my family. Win, win."

Again Anthony looked to Dai who hesitated uncertainly, before nodding slowly, his gaze never meeting Hal's. The backed off to leave but Hal cleared his throat, flashing them a pleasant smile.

"Aren't we going to shake on it? We are civilised gentlemen after all." Hal extended his arm, outstretching his hand to Dai who studied it for a minute; searching Hal's eyes for a hint of deception. Finally he took it, though his grip was weak and uncertain. Hal took advantage, shaking more vibrantly and laughing aloud before he turned away.

"See you tomorrow then, it was a pleasure to see you again. Do tell everyone I send my greetings and I hope to see them again very soon."

The Hal nodded to the mechs and sauntered confidently back the way he had coming, leaving a startled and confused Anthony and Dai behind.


	9. Chapter 9

**Apologies for the long time between updates have a lot of work I've had to do lately…I hate school...and homework….and exams. I know a few of you thought that Dai and Anthony were a bit wimpy considering their circumstances but being suddenly confronted by an close friend's eldest son/ another close friend after such a long time of searching and he looks the same, acts completely differently and controls a bunch of aliens that have been terrorizing you for a long time now…you would probably be a little overwhelmed with both emotion and fear.**

_The Hal nodded to the mechs and sauntered confidently back the way he had coming, leaving a startled and confused Anthony and Dai behind._

Tom tapped his foot anxiously and tossed his head around, scanning the surroundings for any signs of an ambush. Could Hal really be coming? Be here? Dai and Anthony had been extremely shaken up by the encounter, swearing that Hal had acted unlike any other harnessed kid and they hadn't been able to see any sign of a harness of his back. Tom sighed and adjusted the gun in his grip as Captain Weaver paced in front of him, finger twitching on the trigger a little nervously. After three months of searching, of constantly coming back empty-handed with no leads or tips just a single dead end; it was strange for Tom to actually think he actually had a chance to see his eldest son once again.

The hope had never gone away of course but Tom couldn't shake the lethargic feeling that clung to him like death wherever he went, the perpetual longing to see his precious son again. To be honest, Tom was hit more heavily by Hal's capture than Ben's because he was so used to having Hal there supporting him. When Ben was taken by the Skitter's, Tom had been dumped with a lot of responsibility and he had always been preoccupied with something or another, always having to worry about those around him that he needed to care for. In many ways, Hal had adapted more quickly than Tom, perhaps because of his relative youth or maybe because he was mature enough to realise that his father needed him now more than ever, especially after Rebecca's death. The loss of such a steady, strong foundation in Tom's life that his son had somehow become meant that his responsibilities within the group seemed to increase and Tom felt more exhausted and stressed than he ever had before. To be fair though to Ben, he had really stepped up to the mark and was doing a fantastic job in Hal's difficult placement; he didn't have Hal's specific skill set and wasn't as well suited to the duties Hal had taken.

"Afternoon gentlemen, nice to see you accepted my invitation." a creepily familiar voice called out behind them.

Tom spun around in surprise, raising his gun at the intruder standing a few metres behind him and gasped at what he saw. Hal was clad in some kind of black uniform, an ebony cloak flowing over his shoulders. He looked incredibly healthy and his muscles were slightly more defined, however his eyes were empty and glassy, pupils almost large and dark. There was a cocky smirk on his face and Hal's stance held a confident but subtle swagger of confidence despite the lack of weaponry or backup. The two men just stared at the teenager speechless; intimidated by the atmosphere and presence the young man had. Suddenly Tom didn't blame Anthony and Dai for being so freaked out for seeing Hal; he was actually scary.

"Well? Aren't you going to say anything Daddy dearest?" Hal said patronisingly "After all it has been three months since we last saw each other. Don't you want one of those cute little reunion hugs that they always had on those stupid reality shows?"

"Hal…"Tom choked out, unable to find anything to say as he realised the horror of what was happening "What happened to you?"

Hal chuckled, looking away and rubbing the back of his neck "Oh, you know….around. I've actually been travelling a lot lately; tough job being the High Overlord's right hand."

"Whatever they did to you Hal we can undo it, just let us help you." Captain Weaver said cautiously, trying to keep his voice military and commanding.

Hal looked at him curiously for a second, then burst into laughter, clutching his sides.

"I-I'm sorry," he gasped after a minute, trying to stop his hysterical giggling "Help me? You? Forgive me but you aren't the ones rescuing me…the Overlord's did."

"No Hal!" Tom burst passionately, tears welling in his eyes "They didn't! They took you from your family, from your home! They're messing with your head! You're my son…please let us stop this, come home."

For a second Hal faltered before he seemingly winced in pain and regained his composure, rebuilding the evil mask and reforming the dark presence that seemed to resonate from his body.

"Sorry,_ Dad"_ he whispered contentiously, his eyes narrowing as he spoke "You're a little too late."

Suddenly the sound of mechs and gunships filled the air and made it vibrate with impending nature. Weaver tried to grab Tom's shoulder as he lunged forward but missed and fell into a crouch at the loss of balance. Tom however reached out to subdue Hal but before he could even register what was happening Hal was right before him, slamming his knee upwards into Tom's exposed stomach. Wind rushing away from his lungs as the powerful attack almost incapacitated him and he dropped like a stone onto the littered tarmac. He was vaguely aware of Weaver crying his name and manages to roll onto his back just in time to see Hal drive a savage looking knife into Weaver's side. Weaver cried out and doubled over, blood pouring from the wound and the gun slipping from his grasp. A line of mechs appeared around the corner and Tom heard a muffled yell from Pope as their reinforcements surged forward and opened fire.

Hal crouched down beside Tom and shook his head "My, my Mason, I'm disappointed…I thought this was going to be a private family affair and you bring Pope? Do you distrust me so?"

With a casual chuckle Hal rose up again and just walked past the fighting, disappearing into the army of Skitters without another word and Tom stretched out to him in despair before just curling up into himself and burying his head under his arms. Someone grasped his arms and he was heaved up and dragged backwards, struggling.

"No! Hal! Hal!"

"Dad, stop, he's gone!" Ben cried out, narrowly dodging an elbow to the face as he pulled Tom out of the line of fire.

Dai and Maggie were hurriedly carrying an unconscious, heavily bleeding Captain Weaver and Tom managed to grasp just enough sense to stop fighting and follow after them, Ben following just behind as the line of second Mass. fighters retreated. Tom glance back desperately hoping to see any sign of his eldest son.

_Hal was gone._


	10. Chapter 10

**I really like this chapter so please review and tell me what you think. If you think I'm a bit OOC please warn me so I can make adjustments next chapter. Since I'm in England the third season is coming out…tomorrow night I think? So I'm recording it and I'll try to watch the first episode soon, like Wednesday.**

_Hal was gone._

Ben watched his father stare aimlessly into the distance, his face blank, eyes glassy and void of emotion. He was used to seeing him like this when he thought no one was looking; sat there for a few minutes just contemplating in silence before he was whisked away on another errand. However now he was ignoring everyone, completely lost in his own tangle of feeling; and no one dare interrupt his emotional stupor. It was disconcerting for Ben to see his father so visibly broken and he could sense the unease of the others positioned around him. Dai, Anthony, Anne, Maggie, Pope and Captain Weaver murmured quietly to each other though their eyes never left Tom Mason. If Tom was aware of their attention, he didn't show it; just slouched, unblinking in a hard, plastic chair.

Captain Weaver was the only other person seated-against the insistence of Dr Glass to rest and recuperate in bed-gingerly holding his bandaged side; his face pale and drawn, eyes conveying his discomfort underlined by dark, black bags and a tight grimace. Ben tapped his foot gently on the floor, keeping a steady rhythm that stopped complete, awkward quiet from descending upon the room. The wall he was currently leant against was cold to the touch and the white paint was dulled with dirt and dust that Ben absentmindedly picked at with a long finger. Maggie slowly approached him, placing a comforting hand against his shoulder and sliding next to him tentatively.

"You okay?" she whispered, blocking off the others with her back to privatise their conversation whilst still allowing Ben to guard his father.

Ben frowned and shrugged, still not looking away "I just…it's difficult…he was right there…but it wasn't him…"

"I know," Maggie said, chewing her lip thoughtfully "I thought the same thing. I so badly wanted to run out to him…but it's not the time. We'll get our chance."

Ben nodded, then tilted his head toward his father "Can he wait that long though?"

Maggie didn't reply for a second, just scrutinised Tom's distant expression "We'll find Hal…till then all we can do is try to carry on and do our best to win this war. It's the whole point of our group isn't it?"

Without waiting for a reply, Maggie pushed off the wall and briskly walked toward Dai and Anthony who started at her curiously as she approached the corner.

Ben lowered his head for a second, sighing deeply. It had been a serious struggle the last three months; Hal's disappearance damaging the group even more than when Tom was captured. Even Pope seemed effected by his brother's abduction becoming slightly more aggressive and snappy though always quietening whenever Matt or Ben were around in a strangely supportive manor. In fact the Berserkers as a collective had in some respect adopted Matt into their small group, though never involving him in anything…distasteful. Tom would never allow that and Pope knew better than to pressurise the man further, though he disguised his caring with the fact that he detested manual labour within the group especially when it concerned civilians as Tom's job entitled. On occasion, Pope would lessen the load on his father's shoulders, just odd tasks and he had taken to planning supply runs and stockpiling weapons as he knew Ben had little experience in that field. In return some if his more shady dealings were overlooked or forgiven more easily.

Ben had been more affected by his older brother's disappearance than he would readily admit, in a way that surprised him after Ben had convinced himself that they hated each other due to their ornate differences and constant arguing. It was a injudicious belief that made no logical sense to anyone, including Ben, but nevertheless it was how he had felt for a number of years especially after he had returned to his family after his life with the Skitters. Hal had never understood Ben, and to be honest Ben didn't feel like he really knew his brother. Despite their closeness in age Ben knew nothing about his brother or interests and barely acknowledged Hal's achievements. They had always been in constant competition throughout their youth, though Ben had always been rewarded with more praise due to his more academic achievements and Tom's respect for all types of academia. Ben had always felt a slight hint of guilt whenever Tom would commend him so openly yet pleasantly congratulate all of Hal's sporting triumphs unlike their mother. Rebecca would often scold her husband for his lack of interest in Hal's life and for missing some of his proudest moments, hence the detachment between Tom and his eldest son.

There was also a deep envy of Hal's ability to make friends, connect with people and sustain relationships. Whereas Ben struggled to even hold a basic conversation, Hal spoke to girls, was popular around school and on social networking websites, asked out by girls, invited to parties and generally had a fantastic social standing within school. No one didn't know who he was; being the star player in most of the school's sports teams and the main character in every theatrical event made him the face of the school who every teacher adored even when he 'lost' his homework. The worst of all was he was fantastic at all of it and still a good person that cared for everyone he met. Even the nerds worshipped him. All Ben would hear was how cool Hal was, and whether he could introduce them to Hal, what Hal was like at home, his mobile number and favourite things. It would drive him nuts and if anything made him even more socially awkward, avoiding whoever he could and making it clear to his friends that Hal was an unmentionable subject of conversation. Even in school events where Hal was winning points for their house, Ben strictly banned any cheering or encouragement of his older brother out of nothing but spite. Reflecting back, Ben felt pathetic and sad, disappointed in his own selfish behaviour especially after Hal was always so supportive of everything he did; attending every scholastic championship sometimes even when it meant missing a match or practice.

"Ben?"

Ben jumped at the gentle voice beside him and span round with a look of surprise written on his face.

Anne stood beside him, staring deep into his eyes as if reading his thoughts "Is everything alright? You're not going to pass out on me are you?"

"I-I'm okay," Ben stuttered, finally noticing that the sun had now set and everyone save himself, Anne and Tom-who was still sat in exactly the same position- had left the room.

Anne followed his gaze around the room "Everyone left about an hour ago. You looked…busy…so we didn't disturb you."

Ben's gaze fell and he just bowed his head, eyes wide and mouth agape in a strange feeling of awe and confusion.

"Matt's been asking for you," Anne blurted anxiously, seeing he was seemingly unable to respond "You should go see him, I think he needs someone to talk too. No one's told him anything about what happened, other than that we saw Hal and he was alive."

Fiddling with the zip of his jacket, Ben just murmured "Hal was always better at that kind of thing…breaking bad news I mean. Either Mum or him were the ones who looked after him if he was upset or sick-he preferred talking to them."

"I'm sure Matt would disagree with you. You've done a great job over the last few months; don't give up now."

When Ben finally managed to meet her eyes, he saw the sincerity reflected in her words and acknowledged her words before throwing a glance to his father, stock still in his seat.

She scrutinised Tom with a worried scowl "Don't worry about your Dad, I'll look after him…I promise."

Nodding gratefully, Ben threw one last glance his father's way before slowly trailing toward the door and heading out into the busy corridor.

_His mind filled with heavy thoughts._


	11. Chapter 11

**Sorry this is really late guys, I've been on this whole course thing ready for my exams so I haven't had the internet but I have had time so I have a really long chapter ready for you guys. I'm really proud of but it's up to you amazing people to decide. Please review and enjoy!**

_His mind filled with heavy thoughts._

Matt sat alone in the main meeting room, staring at the marks and drawings on the face of the military map. He had been here for what felt like hours formulating his own plan, noting the weaknesses that only an insider would know and manipulating past battle plans to suit his requirements. It wasn't an easy job and Matt was struggling, cursing his youth and for once, his lack of education. The amount of time he spent just trying to understand the contents and meaning of the map, overshadowed his actual progress and hindered his completion; not to mention the occasional panic where he had to snatch up all his half-finished work and hide beneath the desk when someone threatened to enter. Twice now Anthony had come in to retrieve something and quickly left, not noticing anything out of the ordinary, and each time Matt just crawled out of his hiding place and would continue where he'd left off.

No one was talking about what had happened at the supposed negotiation but from the extent of Captain Weaver's injuries and the numerous casualties, it was obvious the discussions went sour. Whenever Matt asked about what had occurred, he would just receive a pitied smile or an awkward shrug and a hurried: 'It's not my place to say, go ask your father.' Dad and Ben hadn't left the room they locked themselves up in since they returned and from rumour it didn't sound like his father was in a particularly useful state right now. Even if Matt had the courage to interrupt their solitude to discover the circumstances of their deep depression and everyone's silence on the subject, he doubted that he could do it now; not when he was so close to finally finishing his plan.

_His break out_.

The route he would take was now drawn out on Matt's own carefully copied map along with a backup pathway-lest he come into contact with the enemy-and the layout of the Skitter's know defences and patrol patterns. Of course according to Captain Weaver plans go out the window as soon as they're put into action and so Matt decided to heed his wise words and did his best to memorise every inch of the map as a means of contingency.

"Matt?" a quiet, familiar voice echoed through the room.

Startled, Matt dropped the pen he had been holding, letting it clatter onto the floor as he stared at the figure in the open doorway. Ben stood there with a tired and confused expression, looking around the messy table and Matt's nearly completed map.

"What is all this?"

Matt was lost for words. Should he tell Ben the truth? With Ben's help he would have a better chance of achieving his mission, however it was a stupidly dangerous idea-though undoubtedly brave-and could possibly end in both Matt and Ben being captured or killed. Would Ben find that too high a price? Would he doubt their chances? And what about the group? What about Dad? All questions he would ask so that he would eventually talk Matt out of it, but Matt couldn't afford that. But it was better to know now rather than later. There was only one way Matt could do this.

Matt looked up at his older brother with a stern expression "I'm going to rescue Hal."

Ben didn't seem particularly surprised by the revelation, instead raising an eyebrow and donning an expression of 'oh really?'

"And how exactly are you going to do that?" Ben asked plainly, his voice even and clam.

Slightly reluctantly, Matt handed over his version of the map and watched curiously as his brother's inquisitive eyes scanned over the document and his features morphed once more. He looked…impressed.

"So you're going out the side window in the dining hall when the guards change over, then head 'round the old graveyard through to the high street…clever, you've put a lot of thought into this." Ben nodded his appreciation and held the map out for Matt to retake "You have to be careful as you pass through into the last avenue, sometimes there's a few Skitters around there."

Matt couldn't hide his disbelief "You're not angry?"

Ben's eyes darkened "I'm not angry Matty. I expected you to do something like this…my spikey-sense were tingling."

They both giggled at the joke, Ben stepping further into the room and shutting the door behind him. The movement raised Matt's suspicions and he cautiously stepped back, clutching the map protectively to his chest.

Finally Ben let out a long sad sigh, "I'm proud of you Matt, but I can't let you go."

"Why not?" Matt whined, disappointed at how childish he sounded.

"We saw… Hal," Ben's expression became pained "He…wasn't the same; he wasn't like all the other harnessed kids."

Matt frowned in confusion "What do you mean?"

There were a few moments of tense silence as Ben chewed his lip nervously and obviously waited for the right words to come to him. Matt had seen this expression before. It was always bad."

"You know the injury that Captain Weaver had? The one in his stomach?" Matt nodded slowly "Hal did that…Hal stabbed Captain Weaver."

Matt gasped and he knew he could not hide his incredulity "He wouldn't…"

"Hal doesn't have a harness, Matt. There was nothing on his back; he has his own free will. He's like Karen…but worse…more ruthless, malicious. Hal's a killer; the enemy."

"No!" Matt screamed desperately, covering his ears to try and block out his brother's words "No! You're lying! Stop lying!"

"Matt," Ben said, his voice still composed and frighteningly relaxed "Calm down…I'm not lying to you. You have to accept things are different; Hal is gone."

"No he's not! Things haven't changed!" Matt cried, hot tears spilling down his cheeks "You've always been jealous of Hal! Always ignoring him and isolating him! This is all because he's better than you!"

Ben faltered, Matt's words having the intended effect as he averted his gaze in a blatant show of shame. The movement angered Matt even more and spurred on his words, fuelled his fury as he confessed his thoughts openly for the first time after so many years.

"He never gave up on you! Ever! Even after all those months and after the whole group rejected you!" Matt screeched, pointing his finger at Ben accusingly "You're a coward! You're not my brother!"

Matt surged forward, pushing Ben out of the way with an amazing burst of strength and shot through the door; almost crashing into Pope and Dai who were stood just outside, clearly eavesdropping. But Matt couldn't care less as his urge to escape Ben filled him once more and he completely forgot their presence.

_The pair hurriedly stepped back as Matt stormed furiously past; rushing off down the empty corridor, map stilled scrunched up in his tightly balled fist._


	12. Chapter 12

**Writing this on the Eurotunnel! Just arrived in France for my long awaited holidays with my family, so I'm really excited and I actually get to write outside, in the nice weather. Bonus! Anyway please review so that I know if you're enjoying my writing because it means a lot to me that my writing is believable and you amazing readers like it.**

_The pair hurriedly stepped back as Matt stormed furiously past; rushing off down the empty corridor, map stilled scrunched up in his tightly balled fist._

Hal couldn't identify his emotion right now. It was like a tight knot in his chest as he examined the crimson coat on his hands, marvelling at the intricate patterns of his skin and the metallic smell of Captain Weaver's blood. That was another thing. Had he really just killed the leader of the second Massachusetts? On his first contact with them? The High Overlord would be pleased with him, perhaps let him take on a little more military command. Maybe even Karen would come congratulate him.

It had been weeks since Hal last saw Karen and she seemed impressed by the progression he had made after 'The Cleansing'. Karen had smiled at Hal, told him how proud she was of him and they had kissed passionately in goodbye before she had climbed onto the ship and left with her Overlord. Hal still couldn't forget that kiss; not because it was particularly extraordinary in any way but because when he kissed her, he felt this mysterious, debilitating pain in his heart and then, when they broke apart, it hadn't been Karen he saw before him. It had been a beautiful blond-her hair loose and free, the intricate, delicate curls bouncing back over her shoulders; her dark, piercing eyes lined perfectly with black eyeliner and matching with the slightly scuffed fabric of her tight fitting ebony leather jacket. She was thin but lightly muscled, wearing a tight fitting blank tank top and cute black jeans, held up with a stylish black belt and matched with practical black boots that reached up over her shins. The girl had the softest lips and when she looked at him it was like his heart had stopped dead in his chest; only to be shocked back into life by her sweet, fragrant scent and the warmth of her breath. Hal felt he should know her, her face hidden deep within him and every time he pictured her he got this nagging feeling and a sharp pain behind his eyes; like the memory was trying to be buried whenever it came too close to the surface.

Then there was the boy. Whenever Hal would be in his kind of shut down mode whilst they were travelling, or he wasn't required; the boy would always haunt his dreams. Perhaps haunt was the wrong word… he was just _there_. Sometimes he would appear when he was wake, just out of the corner of his eye as Hal was listening to someone but when he looked; all there was was empty space. Occasionally, the boy would be able to talk and Hal would have a conversation with him. The boy seemed to know so much about him-of his time before The Cleansing-and he would urge Hal to remember, to say his name, but again Hal would only feel the intense agony in his skull. Most of the time they just talked; like the boy was some kind of therapist for Hal to just dump all his problems on. He would just sit cross legged and listen to Hal as he unloaded his thoughts as a tumble of words and emotions, then he would say that the answer to all of his pains was to remember, to come back to them-whoever they were, Hal still didn't know-to beat the Overlords at their own game. The boy's curly brown hair would bounce and his light eyes would widen as he animatedly told Hal that they had taken his life away from him, turned him into their prisoner and then into their weapon. That now Hal could prove what kind of weapon they made, that they couldn't possess and control the human soul. Hal would just laugh, but the more they met, the more Hal became convinced by his words; the more he understood those little whispers in his mind. Still, whenever he got a little too brave, began questioning his prerogative; the High Overlord would show him the error of his ways…hook him up to that machine; mess with his head till he felt like his brain had been scrambled and the only bits that remained had the powerful aliens words engraved on his head.

_Forget. Serve the Espheni. We are your masters. You are our weapon to command. You are our child._

Then today, at the meeting, Hal had felt that cursed feeling again. That ever-growing longing for the comfort of the other humans, the familiarity and the warmth he felt when he saw them; when he spoke to them. But when he saw his father, all his emotions were overcome with a deeply programmed hate that had been drilled into him since day one all those months ago.

"_Sir?"_

Hal turned suddenly to see a lone Skitter bowed low to him, quivering with resonating fear. Skitters were usually in packs but whenever they approached Hal there was always only one in sight, to be careful of his vengeful wrath. Apparently he had quite a reputation amongst the lower ranks due to a popular tale of his punishment against a rather…rebellious unit that had defied his leadership. Hal hadn't even broken a sweat taking down the entire battalion-including mechs.-single handed, armed only with his two trusty, deadly swords that had since claimed the souls of many an enemy and was invisibly coated in life-blood.

"Yes, slave." his voice was harsher and colder than he had expected, filled with authority and dismissal.

"_We have spotted a human leave the suspected base complex; do you wish to begin the attack?_"

Hal thought for a second "Yes, split into four groups to cover each side, I'll approach from the front with the main invasion force."

The Skitter nodded in acknowledgement and hurried off to convey the order to his fellow soldiers and Hal sat back on his perch, leaning against the cold, concrete wall and watching the new batch of kids screaming as they were processed and the harness crawled up their backs into place. Subconsciously Hal's hand moved behind him and he traced the lump across his own back and across his shoulders. It reminded him that he was different from the others, special in a way that no other was. Even Karen's harness was visible, but his was barely there; more like an extension of his body, underneath his skin. He was a freak, even amongst his own people.

_But they're not your people._

Hal started at the sudden thought and hurriedly brushed the issue to the back of his mind as the pain started up again. Jumping up, he briskly walked out of the building, out into the small pavilion area outside, beneath the shadow of the structure. An army of Skitters and mechs were frozen outside, split professionally into four equally sized groups, arranged perfectly. Hal gave a small smile at their efficiency before leaping onto a patch of rubble in front of the entire group and taking his most powerful stance, careful to make his body language radiate authority.

"_Today is a good day. Today we finally put an end to the human rebellion. Today we destroy the Second Massachusetts!"_


End file.
